Editing Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland (section)

==Career; pre-1639==
Rich was educated at [[Eton College|Eton]] and graduated from [[Emmanuel College, Cambridge]] in 1603. Reportedly a [[godson]] of [[Henry IV of France]], he travelled to [[Paris]] in 1607 before returning to England in 1610. Elected as [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for the vacant seat of [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]] in May, he was [[Knight of the Garter|knighted]] in June when [[James I of England|James I]]'s heir [[Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales|Henry]] was created Prince of Wales.{{sfn|Watson|Coates|2010}} Shortly thereafter, he served as a volunteer in the [[Siege of Jülich (1610)]], part of the [[War of the Jülich Succession]] which preceded the wider conflict of the [[Thirty Years' War]].{{sfn|Parker|1997|pp=28-29}}   

As was then common, Rich completed his education by studying law at the [[Inner Temple]] in 1611 and was re-elected for Leicester in the short-lived [[Addled Parliament]] of 1614. [[Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon|Clarendon]] later wrote he was ideally suited to the [[Jacobean era]] court, being "a very handsome man, of a lovely and winning presence".{{sfn|Clarendon|1704|p=49}} However, wealth was also a prerequisite; his father-in-law Sir [[Walter Cope]] died in 1614 with debts of over £27,000, greatly impacting Rich's ability to advance.{{sfn|Donagan|1976|p=322}}   

Rich became close to [[Charles I of England|Charles]], installed as heir to the throne when Prince Henry died in 1612, as well as his favourite, the [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham|Duke of Buckingham]]. He took part in various diplomatic missions and briefly served as a volunteer in the [[Eighty Years War]], before being created [[Baron Kensington]] in 1623. The next year he was made a member of the [[Privy Council of England]], and sent to Paris to help negotiate the marriage contract between Charles and [[Henrietta Maria of France]], a process completed by [[James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle|James Hay]]. When Charles succeeded his father in March 1625, Hay was made [[Earl of Carlisle]] and Rich [[Earl of Holland]], taking his title from an area in [[Lincolnshire]].{{sfn|Smut|2004}} 

In 1627, Rich was involved in the disastrous [[Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré]], which led to Buckingham's impeachment by Parliament; although this failed, he was assassinated on 23 August 1628. The next day, Rich wrote to Charles claiming he had been promised the position [[Constables and Governors of Windsor Castle|Governor of Windsor Castle]].{{sfn|Donagan|1976|p=324}} This request was granted, along with an appointment as [[Governor of Landguard Fort]], and he benefited from his relationship with Henrietta Maria, who had replaced Buckingham as Charles' closest advisor. Over the next few months, he was made [[Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire]] and [[Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex|Middlesex]], [[List of chancellors of the University of Cambridge|Chancellor of the University of Cambridge]], and numerous other offices.{{sfn|Donagan|1976|p=325}} 

Although he failed to become [[First Lord of the Admiralty]], the 1630s was the highpoint of his career as a courtier; as a Privy councillor, he was frequently consulted on foreign affairs, although his anti-Spanish policy was at odds with that pursued by Charles. In 1636, he was appointed [[Groom of the Stool]]; by this stage the term indicated proximity to the monarch rather than function, and the officeholder was an important part of the Royal household.{{sfn|Bucholz|2006|pp=13-14}}